Ground-breaking green initiatives earned Lancaster University a win in the 2025 Green Gown Awards and national recognition for leadership and innovation in sustainability.
The University won the '2030 Climate Action' (large organisations) category, highlighting its bold commitment to achieving carbon net zero from energy emissions by 2030 and its pioneering approach to decarbonising operations across the Lancaster campus.
The Green Gown Awards, now in their 21st year, celebrate innovation and leadership in sustainability across UK and Irish higher education.
The award was presented at a Birmingham ceremony, which recognised institutions demonstrating measurable progress toward net zero.
This year's awards saw 112 finalists from 76 institutions shortlisted, with 23 winners and 24 highly commended awards.
Lancaster University impressed judges with several groundbreaking initiatives:
- Net Zero Energy Centre - A government-backed project replacing gas heating with air source heat pumps and thermal storage. Once operational in Spring 2027, the centre will deliver 45 GWh of low-carbon heat annually, enough to heat 95% of campus buildings, virtually eliminating gas use.
- Renewable Energy Expansion - Building on the success of Lancaster's wind turbine, the University is developing a new solar farm. Together, these projects will significantly reduce reliance on fossil fuels and may enable Lancaster to reach its net zero target ahead of schedule.
- Sustainable Procurement - By tracking supplier carbon emissions, Lancaster ensures accurate departmental carbon data and identifies high-emitting suppliers, enabling efficient and impactful changes.
- Integrated Approach - Collaboration across departments and with suppliers ensures alignment with carbon-saving goals. Lancaster has set an industry-first with a whole-life carbon assessment of its new solar farm, influencing wider solar industry practices.
Interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Rebecca Lingwood said: "We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Gown Award for 2030 Climate Action. We're proud that this reflects our deep commitment to sustainability and reinforces the bold strides we're making towards achieving net zero. It honours the passion of our students, staff, and partners who are driving transformative change."
Head of Sustainability Dr Georgiana Allison added: "Winning this award reflects the unique pace and scale at which Lancaster University is decarbonising its campus and our projection of achieving our 2030 carbon Net Zero target. More importantly though, our submission reflected how seriously we have taken our role as an educator by working with our supply chain, staff and students to enhance our learning and understanding of the impact of large-scale renewable energy technology installations."
Lancaster University's achievement underscores the region's growing reputation as a hub for sustainability innovation. The University's projects not only benefit the campus but also contribute to wider community efforts to tackle climate change, positioning Lancaster as a leader in the transition to a low-carbon future.
